High-Frequency Traders' Safeguards Come Under Scrutiny

WASHINGTON—A raft of computer glitches that have plagued markets in recent years amid a burst of high-speed trading is sparking a widening crackdown by Wall Street overseers.

Regulators are focusing on the complex computer systems deployed by high-frequency trading firms, with an eye on whether the systems have adequate safeguards against chaotic trading that can destabilize markets and harm investor confidence.